Art is for Everyone!

Soho has long been a place of creativity, diversity, and reinvention. For centuries, it has welcomed people from around the world - often serving as a first stop for those beginning their London journey. Each wave of communities and industries has left its mark, layering history upon history to create a neighbourhood where every corner tells a story. Soho is a place where individuality thrives, and people adapt to and embrace others, cultivating an environment where all can flourish.

Last year the communities team worked with our community partners The Museum of Soho to develop an exhibition as part of the long-established Open House Festival, as well as a History of Berwick Street Market with our colleagues from the Westminster Archives.  Open House asked if we were interested in creating a multi-site neighbourhood festival, a recent innovation. We agreed and developed the first ever Open House Neighbourhood Festival in Westminster, with 12 venues around Soho.

This led to more collaborative working with our community partners, as well as established institutions and businesses.   The interest generated by community volunteers for the project, encouraged us to successfully apply for Good Ideas Funding from the GLA which in turn encouraged further collaboration and work across the border with our neighbours in Camden and Islington, delivering a number of artistic and cultural events.  The art and culture volunteers (Artivists) now numbers over 50 under the banner of the Can't Be Arts? Collective

Over the last year, we have also worked to bring the different Chinese Heritage communities together which led to the Lunar New Year celebration in the Lord Mayors Parlour in January.  We have also facilitated workshops for them to explore further areas of collaboration, and they have collectively called themselves the Chinese Heritage Alliance - CHA.  

The Can't Be Arts? Collective and the Chinese Heritage Alliance have come together to create this year's Soho Open House Neighbourhood Festival.   The number of participating venues has expanded from 12 to 20 this year.

This year’s festival centres on Soho Square Gardens on Saturday 13th September, marking 40 years since the southern part of Soho became Chinatown - a tribute to the communities that transformed it into a cultural landmark. The Mind and Body Festival will showcase Chinese heritage through Tai Chi, Qigong, Kung Fu Fan, dance, lantern making, and calligraphy, provided by our community partners.

Soho Square will also serve as the hub for information on the neighbourhood venues participating across Soho.

Festival Highlights

Museum of Soho: Timelines – tracing 300 years of Soho’s history

Hope 93 Gallery: The Purpose of Light – Misan Harriman’s powerful protest photography

The Colony Room: Licence to Offend – satirical cartoons exploring freedom of expression

The Smallest Gallery in Soho: Apex Predators – reflections on perception, reality, and ecology

On 13th September, the former Warner Brothers sound studio at 75 Dean Street will host Sharing Stories: Changing Hearts and Minds — a day of talks, films, and performances. The day starts with a documentary of interviews with local people, a talk on Matisse in Soho, belly dancing, short films from local creatives, health and wellbeing talks and a live performance celebrating the role of female impresarios in shaping Soho.  

On Berwick Street Market we have teamed up with the Soho Jazz Festival to provide a history of the market and history of the Jazz Festival, as well as pop up Jazz performance at different spots around the festival.

From churches and cinemas to galleries, markets, and hidden courtyards, Soho’s festival offers a unique opportunity to explore its past, celebrate its present, and imagine its future.